CALGARY, Nov. 17, 2015 /CNW/ – The National Energy Board (NEB) and the Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations will coordinate their review of the requests from Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Limited (IORVL) to extend to December 31, 2022 the sunset clauses included in the Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP) approvals.

The NEB approved the construction of the MGP, including the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline (MVP) and the Mackenzie Gathering System (MGS) on December 16, 2010. Included in the conditions for approval were sunset clauses which required construction of the MVP and MGS to start by December 31, 2015.

The NEB and GNWT Chief Conservation Officer (CCO) have both directed an interim extension to the MGP sunset clauses to September 30, 2016 in order to provide more time to consider IORVL's requests.

The two regulators will accept public comments on the requested extensions until February 16, 2016.

Quick Facts

The Mackenzie Gas Project is a proposal to develop three natural gas fields in and near the Mackenzie Delta, and to transport the natural gas and natural gas liquids to southern markets via a 1,196-kilometre natural gas pipeline system from Inuvik, NWT to northern Alberta.

As a result of devolution in NWT on April 1, 2014, the GNWT Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations assumed responsibility for the regulation of onshore oil and gas activities in the NWT, outside of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, and as a result, now regulates a portion of the MGS.

The CCO will make the decision on the application related to this portion, consistent with a pre-existing delegation from the GNWT Regulator.

The National Energy Board is an independent federal regulator of several parts of Canada's energy industry with the safety of Canadians and protection of the environment as its top priority. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest. For more information on the NEB and its mandate, please visit www.neb-one.gc.ca.

The GNWT Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations is mandated to regulate the exploration for and exploitation of oil and gas resources for the primary purposes of ensuring human safety, environmental protection and the conservation of those resources. For more information on the GNWT Regulator and on OROGO, please visit www.oilandgasregulator.iti.gov.nt.ca.